Sanitary objects like toilets are essential in our daily lives we can't live or imagine our lives without them. So it matters to learn their history and how the sanitary objects have evolved over the years to match the hygiene standards. The historic Gmunden Town in Austria hosts the Klo and So Museum of Historic Sanitary Objects where visitors learn the interesting history of ceramic sanitary objects. This museum is part of the 2000 meter square city museum at K-Hof Kammerhofgasse with 14 exhibition rooms. Gmunden town has a 500-year history and reputation as a hub where beautiful ceramic products are made.
Exhibits and cultural relevance
The Klo and So Museum of Historic Sanitary Objects has approximately 300 exhibits of sanitary objects like toilets, urinals, bathtubs, and sinks. It is a cultural archive for the historic use of ceramics in sanitary objects. The sanitary objects are hand-painted with colorful and decorative motifs. In addition, different ceramic sanitary objects are encased in furniture like chairs, boxes, stools, and tables for aesthetic purposes. The museum runs different exhibitions open to the public that display how sanitary objects have evolved over the decades.
History of Klo and So Museum of Historic Sanitary Objects
Opened in 2008 the Klo and So Museum of Historic Sanitary Objects has exhibits that date back from the 16th century when the water closet was invented, and to the 18th century. At the museum, visitors learn how the toilet has changed in form to the shape it is today. On display are commodes, chamber pots, and the modern toilet. A toilet Austrian emperor Franz Joseph (1848–1916) had at his hunting lodge near Ebensee is displayed there. The museum was aimed at illustrating the history and cultural relevance of ceramic objects in Gmunden town. Today the Klo and So Museum of Historic Sanitary Objects also illustrates how bathroom hygiene keeps evolving. Each of the objects displayed at the museum has a quirky, rich story behind it.
Collections Founder
Fritz Lischka a former director of LAUFEN Bathrooms was inspired to archive the historical collections of sanitary objects after finding a toilet made in 1904 at the company's construction waste pile. The beautifully decorated toilet belonged to the director of LAUFEN Bathrooms back then. That ignited Lischka's passion to collect old and rare ceramic items that are displayed at Klo and So Museum of Historic Sanitary Objects. Many objects exhibited at the museum are also donated by LAUFEN Bathrooms and privately by people. LAUFEN Bathrooms also sponsors the exhibition and the curator Alfred Zinnhobl is a former employee.
What else to do or visit after the Klo and So Museum of Historic Sanitary Objects
Traunsee
Surrounding the Klo and So Museum of Historic Sanitary Objects is the picturesque landscape of Traunsee and the snow-capped mountains. Traunsee is over two and half hours drive away from Vienna, Austria's capital. There is also the 25.6 kilometers square and 191 meters deep, Lake Traunsee the deepest lake in Austria where visitors can surf, swim, sail, take boat trips, and see the scenic and rustic evergreen meadow landscapes with a spell-binding mountainous backdrop. Visitors can also go on walks, mountain biking, or hiking around the Traunsee mountain landscape.
Golfing
Close to Lake Traunsee is an 18 hole Golf Club Salzkammergut founded in 1933 where golfing enthusiasts can go putt. This golf club has been pivotal to the growth of golf in Austria and has hosted international tournaments graced by golfing icons like Gordon Brand, Mark McNulty, and Severiano Ballesteros. The lush golf course is seamlessly integrated into the scenic mountainous landscape. Golf Regau is another 18 hole golf course close that has water incorporated in its fairways that golf lovers can tee off against a lush tree canopy.
Hallstatt-Dachstein / Salzkammergut Cultural Landscape
An hour from Traunsee is the Hallstatt-Dachstein/Salzkammergut Cultural Landscape a UNESCO World Heritage Site worth visiting. This 280 kilometers square prehistoric and mountainous alpine landscape started being explored in the second millennium BC because of its salt deposits. Salt mining powered the region's economy until the middle of the 20th century. As a result, the landscape is dotted with two to three-story houses that appear like they are hewn from the rocky mountains along Lake Hallstatt's shores. Some of the houses touch the lake's waters. This site also has caves to explore.
Cave Tours
There are caves that visitors can explore on designated and safe passageways. Guided 50 minutes tours are available to visitors wishing to tour the Dachstein Giant Ice Cave. Inside this jagged cave are magnificent ice formations that glisten after reflecting light from outside. Another cave worth touring is the Mammut Cave that can be toured with kids for up to 50 minutes. This cave has over 70 kilometers of mazy and rocky passageways. Through these cave tours, guides help the visitors to understand how the caves were formed. Visitors are advised to wear warm clothes and sturdy shoes or boots ideal for hiking on coarse terrains.
Accommodation
Around Klo and So Museum of Historic Sanitary Objects are plenty of holiday homes and apartment rentals available to visitors. For as little as $62 a night visitors can get accommodation when visiting the Klo and So Museum of Historic Sanitary Objects and other places in proximity.